Ocean Fighting From Down Under

by Robert TimmonsJune 21, 2017

Welcome to our "Ocean Passion Series" where we are interviewing regular people doing extraordinary actions for the ocean. We aim to inspire actions for the ocean through amazing ocean action stories. This week our guest is Lucette d'Angelique who has been doing incredible ocean work down under.

Good day Lucette, Can you tell us about yourself and where you are in the world ?

I'm a single parent with a son at university, running a small home business and living in Mascot, Sydney, Australia.

Oh wow! Australia seems to be an incredible place surrounded by ocean shorelines and pristine beaches. So tell us about what created a spark inside you to start fighting for the ocean?

I came across an article about the number of sharks being slaughtered every year for a soup! I was so inflamed about the short vision of hundreds of millions of people, wiping out the apex predator of the oceans, ultimately leading to our own demise. So I began my Facebook page around 2009, campaigning about sharks and the result of their demise.

What is happening with sharks is definitely an outrage and we spoke to an amazing young man last week named Thomas Ponce who is also outraged like yourself. So please tell us what action do you do to give back to help bring awareness to the ocean?

I designed cards, stickers and postcards, to hand out and send to key politicians in Australia to draw attention to shark slaughter.

I donate to AMCS and Sea Shepherd, regularly attending events that support ocean conservation. Also was involved with a high profile shark swim on the Great Barrier Reef to raise awareness as well.

Spoke at rallies, posting info on ocean pollution, and written several petitions regarding banning shark finning (especially to the Hawaiian parliament, and the bill was successful!).

At one time I even contacted Lewis Pugh the UN ambassador for the environment to highlight the state of Versova Beach, Mumbai, India (an 89 week project already!) which he visited. I also remind anyone of the demise of the oceans due to shark depopulation, plastic invasion into all species and for the banning of fishing, both recreational and commercially. One different thing I have been doing is promoting ocean burials to give back much needed food to the oceans, through the planets best resource, us

Lucette you are showing us and our readers that their isn't just one thing a person can do but a list that can keep growing! So with this list you shared how has the fight for sharks changed your thinking and your life?

It realigned my focus on what was actually necessary for the planet's survival. Putting more energy into the ocean than my own life at times. I have even completely stopped eating any seafood and studied courses on sharks and coral gardening.

Now changing your diet shows extreme passion for sure! Taking your leap to studying further into an ocean path is dedication and leads into our next question how has your passion for the ocean brought out strength or confidence that would have been a fear otherwise?

Yes! I was able to put forward written pieces on sharks and shark finning without 'fear' of rejection (as a writer in the past for TV/Film, this was an issue!). Speaking out at rallies was a breeze as I knew the truth had to be heard!

Its incredible how passion for something can create strength and make you focused on the real issue and not others opinions. So now we want to know what ocean organization is your favorite and why?

Sea Shepherd, as Captain Paul Watson is a the most genuine and courageous ocean warrior out there. I believe in him.

We at Pelagic Love are definitely passionate about the work Paul Watson and his incredible global organization Sea Shepherd Conservation Society do for the planet. So after doing all these amazing actions for the ocean tell our readers in your own words what would you like people to know that was a great lesson you have learned because of your passion?

Stop eating seafood, pork, and source pet food not from the oceans (as is most of the pig industry)

Lets finish this brilliant interview off with a give back to our readers who want to do more for the ocean! What would you have done differently to get you to where you are now that may help someone else get further into helping the ocean?

Joined the crew of Sea Shepherd and be involved out on the ocean​

Lucette! What a great way to end this interview by creating a "Call For Action" to join the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. We have absolutely appreciated your time to share how your passion for the ocean got started! Once again a person has heard about the decline of sharks and it sparked a flame within them to create positive change. If you have any further questions for Lucette and/or the decline of sharks please leave a message below.